Dan Richmond wins inaugural Backyard Ultra as Max Hitchen takes enduro title

Backyard Ultra

Dan Richmond, 24, a former Ramsey rugby player, outlasted a starting field of more than 130 at Archallagan Plantation, where the first Isle of Man Backyard Ultra got under way at midday on Friday 2 October.

Runners must set off on a 4.167-mile lap at the top of every hour until only one is left; 24 laps make 100 miles. David Williams was the last to drop out on the Saturday evening, leaving Richmond to complete a 31st lap alone, his quickest at 33min 36sec, Isle of Man Today reported.

Joanne Howse was the last woman to stop, after 25 laps.

Manx MTB Enduro Series

Max Hitchen clinched his first Manx MTB Enduro championship, ahead of Joey Huyton, at last weekend’s rain-soaked finale in the northern plantations.

A forecast of heavy rain cut the route to four stages through Ballure, Brookdale and Sky Hill. Hitchen won all but the last, which Huyton took by a second, with Tom Dawson third and Harry Corrin fourth.

Coral Hegginbotham beat her older sister Sunny, the only women to race, and Isaac Batty won the e-bike class from Liam Crellin.

Grand Tour of North Barrule

Sam Jones narrowly held off Oliver Harrison at the line to win the Grand Tour of North Barrule, the second Callin Wild Fell League race, a week before the Backyard Ultra. Liam Parker was third in a field of more than 80.

Eleanor Miklos beat Caroline Caren to the women’s win, and Rosy Craine pipped Jan Gledhill for third. Max Roberts won the junior race. The James Coulson Laxey race takes place on Saturday 24 October.

Snooker Home Internationals

The Manx men beat Northern Ireland A 7-5 at the Home Internationals in Leeds, in what Isle of Man Today called possibly the island’s best international result yet. Darryl Hill clinched it by clearing the final six reds and colours against Joel Connolly, and debutant Nialls Wilson also won his match, with Conor Mahon and Dollin Mercer completing the squad.

They finished third in their group, then lost 5-1 to Northern Ireland B in the plate semi-finals.

The masters (over-40s) side of Paddy Delaney, 77, Peter Kirkham, Chris Dagnall and Paul Smyth lost to England A and Wales B but beat Scotland 7-5 to finish third as well, then went out 5-2 to Northern Ireland in the plate.

Horse of the Year Show

Lola Bass and Abby Kirkpatrick both finished third at Birmingham’s NEC, Energy FM reported: Bass in the 153cm Working Hunter Pony on Carnsdale Be Charming, and Kirkpatrick, after a clear round on Magnus Amor, in the Working Hunter of the Year.

“Getting into the second phase was a dream come true but to make it into the evening presentation was mind blowing,” said Kirkpatrick, who first rode at the show 10 years earlier to the day.

Toni Kewley made her first appearance at the show in the Small Hacks class on Thursday, 8 October, riding Jack of Hearts.

Ingham ready for Pau

Yasmin Ingham finished seventh at Little Downham CCI4S with a double clear on Gypsie Du Loir in her last run before Pau CCI5 in France, where the 10-year-old mare will make her five-star debut in a few weeks. Ingham described riding with the “handbrake firmly on” to save speed for Pau, Energy FM reported.